Road-grader.



B. WHITTEMORE.

ROAD GRADER.

APPLIUATION FILED N0v.7, 1911.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l,

B. WHITTEMORE.

RGAD GRADBR. APPLIOATION FILED 110V. '1, 1911.

1, 1 1 7,467. Patented Nov. 17, 1914 3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

gm wat@ 1HE MORRIS PEVERS CQ, PHOHLLITNO,4 WASHINGTON. D. C.

B. WHITTEMORE.

ROAD GRADER.

APPLIUATION F1LED 11011.?. 1911.

1, 1 1 7,467. Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I 2Mo/falaz? f OW We@ THE Nnhlels PErENS C01, PHOTO-Univ, WASH/Nl; 10N, n r:

l 'tlldlTE SATES `ATE T onirica.

ROAD-GRADER.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BnNNin Wrna'frnironn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albert Lea, in the county of llreeborn and State ot' Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Road- Grraders; and l do hereby declare the tollowing to be a. tull, clear, and exact description et the invention, such. as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide a highly eflicient road grader, and to such ends, generally stated, the invention consists oit the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanyingdrawings which illustrate the preferred -forni oit the improved road grader, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings7 Figure 1 is plan Aview of the improved machine; Fig. is a side elevation of the machine; Fig.

a detail in transverse section on the line .frs '.113 of Fig. 2; Fig. l is a detail in section on the line m4 m4 ot' Fig. 1; Fig.` 5 a detail in rear elevation showing parts t'ound in the vicinity of the line marked m5 m5 on Fig. 1; F 6 is a transverse section taken on the line m of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line all :c7 o'l 1; Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line aff* m8 oi Fig. 1; and Fig. 9 a detail in vertical section taken on the line zu ot Fig. 1.

The main frame of the grader' `is preferably, and as shown, made up o1 a pair ot side bars 1, a front end tie bar 2, rear end tie bar 3, and intermediate tic bars 1, 5 and 511. The operators platform G is connected to and between the said tie bars fl` and 'lhe front axle T is journaled in suitable bearings on the side bars 1 at. the rear et' the front tie bar 2, and it is -provided with wheels 8 secured to ,its projecting ends. The rear wheels 9 are carried by the ends of a rear axle 10, journaled in the iframe 11, of

\ a small rear truck having, as shown, a body 12, ot' box-like form, to which the said axle is pivoted at 13.

The truck `body 12 is rigidly .secured to the rear end of supplemental fame bars 11 that overlie the rear portions of the main frame bars 1, project rearward thereof, and

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 7. 1911.

Patented Nov. 17, 19111.

Serial No. 659,012.

at their front ends, are connected to the intermediate portions ot the said traine bars 1 by hinge joints 15. The rear end of the inain 'frame is adapted to be raised and lowered by a. lifting device comprising a pair of cables 1G attached at their lower ends to the rear tie bar 3, and at their upper ends, secured to and wound upon a transverse windlass shaft 17, journaled in suitable bearings on the supplemental :traine bars 141. The `windlass shat't 17 is provided with a drum 1S, on which .is wound the rear end of a cable 19. The -lront end ot said cable 19 is wound upon a shcave or drum Q0, journaled to a suitable support on the intermediate tie bar 5, and provided with an operating hand wheel 21, and a ratchet wheel 22. fr retaining pawl 23 cooperates with` the ratchet wheel 22 to normally hold the drum E20` against backward rotation, and hence, to hold, when desired, the rear end of the main frame at dili'erent elevations, :for purposes which will hereinafter appear. On each side of the machine there is a long adjustable scraper blade, or grader bar Q-Il, which is preferably curved in vertical cross-section. The rear ends of these scraper blades Q4. (see particularly Figs. 1, 2 and 3), are provided with upwardly projecting hinge straps 25 having heads that are seated at QG in bearings on the rear tie bar 3 of the main trame. These joints 2G permit the scraper blades Qd: to swing laterally and t0 more vertically. To prevent the said scra per blades :t'roin swinging backward at their lower edges, under the pressure produced thereon when at work on the road, a thrust link is `flevibly connected between the lower rear portion ot the scraper blade, and a portion oi." the machine frame. Preferably also, this link is made longitudinally adjust able, so as to set the scraper blade at the desired working angle. As best shown in Fig. 3, this adjustable thrust link is made up ot a turn buckle 27, reversely threaded bolts 28, and eye bolts 29, which latter connect said bolts to the said scraper blade and to the adjacent ends ot the rear tie bars Adjusting cables 3() are attached to the front ends ot' the scraper blades 211, and

these cables are passed over guide sheaves 31 on the 'front tie bar 2, and are brought rearward and attached to and wound upon a windlass drum 32 which, as shown, is loosely journaled on the intermediate portion of the front aXle 7. At one end, said drum 32 is provided with a ratchet Wheel 33 and is normally held against baclivard rotation by a gravity actuated retaining paivl 34 (see Fig. el), pivoted on a transverse rod 35 secured on the main frame. Pivoted on the front axle 7 adjacent to the ratchet Wheel 33 is a hand-operated lever 36 provided With a long pawl 37 for action on the ratchet Wheel 33, When it is desired to Wind up the cables 8O and thereby pull inward on the front ends of the scraper blades. The pawl 3T is adapted to be moved into an inoperative position, at will, by a small hand-piece 3S, pivoted to the lever 3G and connected to said paWl by a rod 39. rllhe retaining pawl Sel is adapted to be released, at Will, by lift ing up its long rearwardly extended end.

The free front endsl of the scraper blades 24 are adjustably supported by novel means, best illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 7. Refer ring to these views, the numeral ll indicates an adjusting shaft mounted in bearings ell on the intermediate tie bar 4:, and provided with reversely threaded ends, on which Work nut blocks rllhese nut blocks l2 are connected by linlrs t3 to the upper ends of oscillating posts llt, the lower ends of which are pivoted at 45 to suitablebearings on the ends of the tie bar The posts del: carry telescopically extensible supporting arms made up of sections l-G, fl-8a and 4G. The arm sections 46 are rigidly secured to corresponding posts 44;, and to yoles t7 carried by the said posts. The said posts and y'olies constitute oscillatory column brackets which carry the longitudinally extensible arms and oscillate the latter, so that the free ends of the arm sections elba ivill be raised and lowered. rllhe ends of the said arm sections dof are connected to the free front ends of the scraper blade 24, by loose joints, preferably afforded by nut-equipped bolts d8 passed through perforated upper ends by metal straps t9 secured to the ends of the said scraper blade. W hen the scraper blades 24e are in engagement with the road, the Weight of the load thereon tends to sepa rate the sections 46, l-3 and flb to an eX- tent determined by the cables 30.

The operating shaft el() is provided at its intermediate portion with an operating hand Wheel 50, by means of which it may be rotated in either direction, at will. t is obvious that when, by proper rotation with the shaft d0, the nut blocks 42 are moved farther apart, the free ends of the extensible arms, and consequently, the free ends of the scraper blades 4C will be lowered. Reverse rotation of said shaft 4e() Will also, of course, raise the free ends of the s raper blades.

lt is sometimes desirable in grading roads, that the scraper blade on one side be raised higher than the scraper blade on the other side. To accomplish this result in a simple vay, l provide means for adjusting the op erating shaft 40 bodily endwise in either direction. '.lhis device is best shoivn in Figs. l and vodierein the numeral 51 indicates a rack loose von the operating shaft ell), but held for endvvise movements therewith by collars The shaft ll0 is, of course, free for endwise movements through its bean ings ll.

The numeral indicates a pinion journaled to a projecting arm al@ on one of the bearings all, and provided with an operating hand Wheel the means just described, the shaft 40 may be moved cndivise, so a* to simultaneously scillatc the pivoted supporting columns or brackets in reverse directions and thereby simultaneously raie the scraper blade on one side and lower the scraper blade on the other side. The free ends of the scraper blade will, of course, be forced outward far as permitted by the cables S), and the said cables are relied upon to draiv the free front ends of the scraper blades inward or toward the machine frame, when desired. The scraper blades are, therefore, universally adjustable. That is, they are adjustable both laterally and vertically at their front ends by the means just above described, and at their rear ends are lieXibly supported from the yrear portion of the machine frame so as to` permit all of the 'above noted movements, and furthermore,

vertically adjustable at their rear ends, being` moved vertically Awhen the rear portion of the main frame is vertically adjusted fi respect to the supplemental frame bars la, all as before clearly .escribed Sometimes, or under some conditions, it may be desirable to impart the above rotary movements to the operating shaft at( from the traction Wheels of the machine. Hence,

l have shown the front axle 7 as provided with reverseljf' beveled friction Wheels 55, and the operating shaft 40 is provided With a beveled gear 5G, (see Figs. l and 8).

The numeral 5l' indicates al flexible, lonitudinally extensible shaft having at its uper end a pinion 5S that meshes ivith the .iereled gear 5G. Preferably, the extreme upper end section of the shaft 57 is journaled in a bearing 59 loosely applied on the rod a0, but held against lateral movements thereon. At its lower end, the flexible shaft 5? is provided with a beveled friction pinion 60 that is adapted to be engaged, at T`will, ivith either of thel tivo friction Wheels By means of a suitable shipper lever (il connected to the lovver end of the flexible shaft 5? the friction pinion 60 may be engaged, at will, with either of the friction Wheels 55, and the shaft l0 .vill therefore be driven in either direction under the advance movenient of the machine.

The dirt scraped to the rear ends of the Si p scraper blades 24. is delivered to a secondary scraper in the form of an L or V, and which serves as a combined leveler and filler. This secondary or auxiliary scraper 62 has the front ends of its diverging side loosely hinged to the lower rear end portions of the scraper blades 24, preferably by rings or links 63. For raising and lowering, and changing the working angle of this auxiliary scraper, a long lever 64 is intermediately pivotedto a bracket G5 on the rear frame tie bar 3, and the lower end of this lever is, as shown, connected by a .short link 611 to a cross bar 6G, spanning the intermediate portion of said auxiliary scraper and secured to the upper edge thereof. The front end of the .lever 64 is arranged to be adjustably secured to a lock segment 67, secured on the frame tie bar Ars shown, the segment 67 and the end of the lever 64 are perforated, and a pin 68 is arranged for cooperation therewith. The so-called secondary or auxiliary scraper 62, when lowered, will carry a large amount of dirt for ward with the machine, leveling the ground as it goes over the same by scraping olf projections and depositing the dirt in depressions. By the various adjustments, it may be set to round up the road to any desired extent at the center, or to scrape the same off flat. By the eoperation of the wings or side scraper blades and this combined leveler and filler, a roadway may be properly graded in passing over the same but once with the grader.

The steering of the machine is accomplished by horizontal oscillatory adjustments of the rear axle l0, to-wit, the axle of the auxiliary truck. To this end, chains or cables 69 are attached to and extended from the opposite ends of the said axle and are attached to and reversely wound upon a small windlass shaft 70 journaled in suitable bearings on the frame bar This windlass shaft 7 is provided with a worm gear 7l that meshes with a worin 72 secured to the rear end of an operating rod 73. This operating' rod 73 is mounted in suitable bearings on the frame bars 5 and 5, and at its front end, is provided with hand wheel 74.

The leveler and ller, to-wit, the V- shaped auxiliary scraper at the rear, and the main wings or scraper' blades are capable of `independent adjustments, and in passing over the ground each part 1s under perfect control of the lever, so that dirt may be let out and dropped whenever desired. Moreover, the machine adjusts itself perfectly to all conditions, so that in passing from smooth to a rough surface, it continues its worlrwithout any diiliculty or extra adjustments on the part of the operator.

The numeral 75 indicates a `draft yoke an operating which, as shown, is pivotally connected to the front frame bar 2, and to which a traction engine or draft horses may be attached for the purpose of drawing the grader over the road.

What I claim is:

l. In a grader, the combination with a supporting frame and forwardly divergingl main scraper blades supported by said fame with freedom for vertical adjustments and for lateral angular adjustments, an auxiliary scraper directly hinged to the rear ends of said main scraper blades and having its intermediate portion bent or bowed rearward and with freedom for angular vertical adjustments `with respect to said main scraper blades, and means for vertically adjusting said auxiliary scraper, the ends of said auxiliary scraper' so closely joining the rear ends of said main scraper blades as to form therewith substantially a single scraper with an adjustable intermediate section.

2. In a grader, the combination with a frame, of scraper blades connected to said frame at their rear ends with freedom for vertical and lateral angular adjustments at their front ends, an approximately V- shaped auxiliary scraper connected to the rear ends of said scraper blades with freedom for hinge-like vertical adjustments, means for verticall adjusting said auxiliary scraper, and .independent means for imparting vertical and lateral angular adj ustments to the front ends of said scraper blades.

3. In a grader, the combination with a frame, of scrapers connected thereto at their rear ends with freedom for vertical and lateral angular adjustments at their front ends, and means for supporting and adjusting the front ends of said scraper blades comprising extensible arms pivotally connected to said blades, supports for said arms on said frame, means `for rocking said supports to vertically move the free ends of said blades, and means attached to the free ends of said blades and to the said frame for limiting the outward angular movements of said blades.

l. In a grader, the combination with a frame, of scraper blades ou the opposite sides thereof connected thereto at their rear ends with freedom for vertical and lateral angular adjustments at their front ends, and means for supporting and adjusting the front ends of said blades comprising extensible arms connected to the front ends of said blades, oscillatory arm supports on .said frame, means whereby said arm supports may be simultaneously adjusted in opposite directions to simultaneously raise or simultaneously lower the free ends of said blades, and adjustable cables connected to the free endsxofsaid bladesand to said frame,.to limit the outward angular movements of the free ends of said. blades.

In` a grader, the combination with a frame, of scraper blades on the opposite sides thereof connected thereto at their rear endswith freedom for vertical and for lateral angular adjustments at their front ends, and means for supporting and adjusting the front ends of said blades comprising extensible arms connected to [the free ends of said blades, oscillatory arm supports on said frame, connections where by said arm supports may be simultaneously oscillated in opposite directions to simultaneously raise or simultaneously lower the free front ends of said blades, other connections whereby the said arm supports may be simultaneously oscillated in opposite directions to thereby simultaneously raise the free end of one blade and lower the free end of the other blade, and means for limiting the outward movements of said scraper blades.

6. In a grader, the combination with a frame, of scraper blades connected thereto at one end with freedom for vertical and lateral angular movements at their free ends, of means operative, at will, to simultaneously, vertically adjust the free ends of said blades in the same direction, and means whereby, at will, the free end of one scraper blade may be raised and the free end of the other blade simultaneouslyT lowered.

7. In a grader, the combination with a frame, of scraper blades connected thereto at oneend with freedom for vertical and lateral angular movements at their free ends, of means operative, at will, to simultaneously vertically adjust the free ends of said blades inthe same direction, and means whereby, at` will, the free end of one scraper blade may be raised and the free end of the other blade simultaneously lowered, and cable connections between the free ends of said blades and the said frame for limiting the outward angular movements of said blades.

8. ln a grader, the combination with a frame, of scraper blades connected thereto at their rear ends with freedom for vertical 'angular and lateral adjustments at their shaft endwise at will, whereby said scraper blades may be simultaneously adjusted either in the same or in reverse directions.

9. ln a grader, the combination with a main frame and a supplemental frame hinged to the intermediate portion thereof and extended rearward therefrom, truclr wheels carrying` said main and supplemental frames, scraper blades connected at their rear ends to said main frame with freedom for lateral angular adjustments, an auxiliary scraper connected at the rear of said scraper blades and spanning the space between the same, and connections between said main and supplemental frames for vertically adjusting the former in respect to the latter, substantially as described.

l0. ln a grader, the combination with a main frame and a supplemental frame hinged to the intermediate portion thereof and extended rearward therefrom, truck wheels carrying said main and supplemental frames, scraper blades hinged at their rear ends to said main frame with freedom for vertical and for lateral angular adjustments, means for vertically and laterally adjusting the free ends of said scraper blades, an approximately V-shaped auxiliary scraper connected at the rear of said scraper blades and spanning the space between the same, means for vertically adjusting` said auxiliary scraper, and connections between said main and supplemental frames for vertically adjusting the former in respect to the latter, substantially as described.

1l. ln a grader, the combination with a main frame and truck wheels supporting the same, of a supplemental frame hinged to the intermediate portion thereof and extended rearward therefrom, a wheel-equipped axle pivotally connected to the rear portion of said supplemental frame and supporting the same, steering connections for imparting oscillatory movement to said axle, forwardly diverging scraper blades connected to said main frame, connections between said main and supplemental frames for moving the latter vertically in respect to the former, means for imparting vertical and lateral angular adjustments to the said scraper blades, and an auxiliary scraper adjustably connected at the rear of said scraper blades and spanning the space between the same, substantially as described.

lfn testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BENNE VVHTTEMORE.

`Witnesses C. L. Swenson, n. C. Enicnson.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

